The “background” description provided herein is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the disclosure. Work of the presently named inventors, to the extent it is described in this background section, as well as aspects of the description which may not otherwise qualify as prior art at the time of filing, are neither expressly or impliedly admitted as prior art against the present invention.
Autonomous vehicle development has progressed rapidly over the last few years due to the demand for decreased human control while driving. The model for advanced powertrain control and electronics systems is based off of current hybrid electric and electric vehicle systems. This includes, for example, an auxiliary DC-DC converter and Power Control Unit (PCU), wherein the PCU includes an inverter, generator, boost converter, motor control unit, gate drive, passive components, and an associated active liquid cooling system. In addition, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is used to process sensor and image data gathered to help the vehicle navigate surrounding obstacles. Heat generation from these disparate components can demand efficient cooling systems to maintain a suitable environment for optimal operation of the assembly. For example, one current solution includes passive or active air cooling of the GPU separately in a different vehicle compartment, for example the trunk. While this may be sufficient for a single prototype part or vehicle, a more comprehensive/integrated cooling solution is needed when all aforementioned parts are packaged together in a compact housing and installed in a confined harsh environment with elevated temperatures, for example the engine compartment.